UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity 2026 Offers Up to $100,000

Cultural projects in developing countries now have a chance to get major funding. The UNESCO International Fund for Cultural Diversity 2026 call is open, and it supports ideas that build strong creative sectors. This fund helps turn plans into real actions that protect and promote diverse cultural expressions.

Background on the Fund

UNESCO started the International Fund for Cultural Diversity in line with the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Since 2010, it has given out $13.6 million to 175 projects in 77 developing countries. These efforts focus on creating cultural policies, growing cultural businesses, opening markets for cultural products, and including more people in cultural activities.

This is the 17th call, and it backs projects that bring UNESCO’s rules to life at the community level. Funded projects run for 12 to 24 months and can receive up to $100,000 each.

What the Fund Supports

Projects must work on one or both of these goals:

• Build or improve policies that boost the creation, production, sharing, and access to diverse cultural goods and services.
• Train public groups and community organizations to support local and regional cultural businesses and markets.

UNESCO checks projects based on how well they fit the goals, if they can be done, the team’s money skills, and the results they expect.

Funding Details

Each project gets a maximum of $100,000 USD. The work must last at least 12 months and no more than 24 months. This setup lets teams plan solid timelines with clear budgets.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include:

• Government offices and public groups from developing countries that signed the 2005 Convention.
• Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from those same countries.
• International NGOs registered in countries that joined the Convention.

Private companies or people cannot apply.

List of Eligible Countries

The fund targets specific developing countries across regions. Here they are by area:

Africa

Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Togo, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Latin America and Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay.

Asia and Pacific

Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam.

Europe

Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine.

Arab States

Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia.

How to Apply

The deadline is May 6, 2026. Submit your request through the official online form. Visit the UNESCO application page to start. For full details, check the UNESCO IFCD page. Make sure your project matches the goals and meets all rules.

Frequently Asked Questions